Background - Prof. Dean Edwards and the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at UI is developing high performance lead acid batteries for use in the automotive industry with a focus on low performance to cost ratio. Two years ago, a military humvee on loan was converted to electric power by UI students, however the vehicle has since been taken back by the US Army, and Dr. Edwards is without a functioning vehicle to test batteries. Since then a space frame from an old project has been pulled from storage, and several of the primary components for a functioning vehicle have been collected.

Our Goal - The focus of this project is to provide only the base platform needed for a functioning, driving plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for use in testing the lead acid batteries being developed by Prof. Dean Edwards.

Target Specifications

provide a functioning electric vehicle platform

source an appropriate off-the-shelf suspension

make necessary modifications to the frame to integrate sourced suspension

integrate the provided 150 kW motor, transmission, and power electronics unit into the frame

integrate the provided motorcycle engine and alternator into the vehicle as a functioning autonomous range extender

develop an information flow diagram and state machine to model the autonomous function of the range extender